The Adventures of Captain Horn eBook

Now vanished every spark of opposition to the captain’s
proffered lodgings.

“If we should be here but one night longer,”
cried Mrs. Cliff, echoing the captain’s thought,
“let us be safe.”

In the course of the day the two rooms were made as
comfortable as circumstances would allow with the
blankets, shawls, and canvas which had been brought
on shore, and that night they all slept in the rock
chambers, the captain having made a barricade for the
opening of the narrow passage with the four oars,
which he brought up from the boat. Even should
these be broken down by some wild beast, Captain Horn
felt that, with his two guns at the end of the narrow
passage, he might defend his party from the attacks
of any of the savage animals of the country.

The captain slept soundly that night, for he had had
but a nap of an hour or two on the previous morning,
and, with Maka stretched in the passage outside the
door of his room, he knew that he would have timely
warning of danger, should any come. But Mrs. Cliff
did not sleep well, spending a large part of the night
imagining the descent of active carnivora down the
lofty and perpendicular walls of the large adjoining
apartment.

The next day was passed rather wearily by most of
the party in looking out for signs of a vessel with
the returning mate. Ralph had made a flag which
he could wave from a high point near by, in case he
should see a sail, for it would be a great misfortune
should Mr. Rynders pass them without knowing it.

To the captain, however, came a new and terrible anxiety.
He had looked into the water-keg, and saw that it
held but a few quarts. It had not lasted as long
as he had expected, for this was a thirsty climate.

The next night Mrs. Cliff slept, having been convinced
that not even a cat could come down those walls.
The captain woke very early, and when he went out
he found, to his amazement, that the barricade had
been removed, and he could not see Maka. He thought
at first that perhaps the negro had gone down to the
sea-shore to get some water for washing purposes, but
an hour passed, and Maka did not return. The
whole party went down to the beach, for the captain
insisted upon all keeping together. They shouted,
they called, they did whatever they could to discover
the lost African, but all without success.

They returned to camp, disheartened and depressed.
This new loss had something terrible in it. What
it meant no one could conjecture. There was no
reason why Maka should run away, for there was no place
to run to, and it was impossible that any wild beast
should have removed the oars and carried off the negro.

CHAPTER IV

ANOTHER NEW FACE

As the cook had gone, Mrs. Cliff and Miss Markham
prepared breakfast, and then they discovered how little
water there was.